Governor R.N. Ravi granted assent to the Tamil Nadu Land Consolidation (for Special Projects) Act, 2023 on August 14. The Bill was adopted in the Assembly four months ago.
Soon after the Bill was adopted in the House, there were demands from various quarters to drop the legislation.
According to the legislation, a project proponent would submit an application for a proposal for consolidation of project land to the government. If the conditions are fulfilled, the government would notify it as a special project, and forward it to the respective District Collector. The government has to constitute an expert committee, which would publish the consolidation proposal and conduct a public hearing.
The panel would prepare a draft land consolidation scheme, get the views of interested persons and submit it to the Collector, who would publish it in the District Gazette. Anyone who has objections or suggestions may submit them in writing to the Collector.
The Collector would send the draft land consolidation scheme and objections, if any, along with his recommendation to the competent authority, which shall “either approve or approve with conditions, as it may deem fit” to be complied with by the project proponent.